Jockey Patrick Moloney could not have asked for a better way to wind up the 2023-24 racing season at Sandown.
Moloney walked away from Wednesday’s meeting with a winning double, from just two rides, scoring aboard Winchester in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (1000m) and Charisse in the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1300m).
The victory on Charisse brought a ‘fist pump’ from Moloney as the mare is prepared by his father Gerard and scored at $21.
Charisse was first-up on Wednesday, but on the mare’s work leading into the contest, Moloney junior could not see her missing a place.
His one concern was the heavy track, but he need not have worried as Charisse ran out an easy 1-½ length winner over the $4 favourite Written In Code.
“Dad is a bit of a glass half-empty whereas I’m more of a glass half-full type,” Moloney said.
“I was very bullish, very confident, but I did have some doubts about her in the conditions.
“She had prepared well and it’s a credit to Dad. She’s not the easiest mare to deal with, she’s quite highly strung, but Dad has looked after her like she was Black Caviar.
“He and the connections are going to have a lot of fun with her, and I think I am too.”
Moloney said he had trialled Charisse on the synthetic track at Pakenham against some quality gallopers which filled him with confidence.
He said Charisse was unlucky not to be a city prior to her win on Wednesday.
“She’s got a good first-up record and had been working the house down and every time I came in off the track, there was a little glistening in the eye, but Dad was going, ‘just settle down boy’.
“I’m rapt for him. He deserves this as this horse could have got lost in any other system, but because Dad’s a hands-on sort of trainer, she got the ultimate treatment.
“She’s in for a good prep.”
